Donald Peaslee, 85, hardware store owner, intellectual

Donald Peaslee, 85, former owner of Peaslee Hardware (now Schauer/Do It Best) and former president of the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce during the 1960s and '70s, died on April 26, 2012. Born on Jan. 18, 1927 in Oak Park to Eugene and Isa Peaslee, he grew up at 917 Chicago Ave. and attended Holmes Elementary and Oak Park and River Forest High School.

He served in the U.S. Army at Ft. Sheridan and received his undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree from Berea College Kentucky. Later he attended the University of Minnesota, working toward his Ph.D. in education from 1952-1958. He left to join his father at Peaslee Hardware Company in Forest Park, the store his grandfather helped found in 1910. He became co-owner of the store in 1958 until he sold it in 1987 to the Schauer family, said his wife Betty.

Peaslee, who lived with his family in Oak Park, also had a lighthearted side, said Virginia Cassin, who, with her late husband Bill, were members with Don and his wife in Phi Sigma, a literary society in Oak Park that has existed since 1878. Don had been a member since 1961, she said.

"He was lovingly droll," Cassin recalled, "a man with real intelligence and a sense of humor. He was great at giving papers once a year at a special, sprightly and humorous meeting."

Peaselee was a valued member, one of the first males, of Oak Park's Nineteenth Century Club (now the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association), which he said he joined to get a good meal on Mondays. "I had suffered during the years when [Betty] said, 'I had a big meal at noon today so we're just having a snack tonight,'" he joked on the club's website.

Because of his hardware experience, he was soon in charge of the building and grounds at the club.

"Whenever anything needed to be fixed or taken care of, Don took care of it," said past-president Sherlynn Reid, "and he always did it with joy and pride."

He was computer savvy, too, said Reid. "He was very good at layout and design. He did [promotional materials] for our benefits." And he participated in Phi Sigma via computer feed when he was too ill to attend personally, said Cassin.

A member of the Oak Park Rotary Club, he was also vice president for 10 years of the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation and served as president of the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory.

His first marriage to Gretchen Larson ended with her untimely death in 1973. His marriage to Betty Barr in 1975 joined two families and they were happily married for the last 37 years. Theirs was the first marriage to take place in the newly merged First United Church of Oak Park, where the family remained very active.

Betty fondly remembers some of the travails of merging two families of five children, ages 11-19. The first attempt to unite the families was by vacationing in tiny quarters on a houseboat on the Mississippi River with four out of the five children. Back at home, issues such as the proper type of Christmas lights, dinner hour time, and food choices all had to be navigated and negotiated. Artichokes and olives were found to be the common denominator. As the years passed, with Don's encouragement and humor, the family melded beautifully.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, May 12 at 1 p.m. at First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St., Oak Park. In lieu of flowers, donations to First United Church of Oak Park or Tuberous Sclerosis, P.O. Box 79606, Baltimore, MD 21279 or Crohns & Colitis Foundation, 386 Park Ave, 17th floor, New York, NY 10016 are appreciated.

I worked with Mr. Peaslee and at Peaslee's Hardware store. I was in high school then and I learned a lot since they encouraged that. I handled the electrical and the plumbing department and would remember when the glass truck cam and we would have to haul glass down into the basement. I loved working there and think back about Mr. Peaslee (Don) he truly was a great person.

William Peaslee from Westborough Ma

Posted: June 8th, 2012 2:37 AM

My Condolences to the Family. I just came arcoss this article doing a search on the Peaslee Name, And was shocked to see how I and my father looked like Don. The Peaslee Heritage is Very undiluted, And I hope to Find a Way to Connect us all. Funny.... I love Hardware stores, That cant be a coincidence ;) Our Thoughts go out to the Family. William A Peaslee

Mark Ahlenius from Lombard

Posted: May 5th, 2012 11:14 PM

I remember Don, Gretchen and Eugene all from Peaslee's. Don was my first real boss. and ranks as my favorite boss over the years. Patient, kind, fun and so knowledgable. Don would give you a problem to solve, let you try, fail, try again and then gently offer help. He knew how to inspire you to do your best. He taught me locksmithing, how to thread pipe, how to drive the Model A (or a T?). I fondly remember the smell of his pipe smoke from the loft office above. He will be missed.

Carolyn Browne from Oak Park

Posted: May 5th, 2012 12:50 PM

Don Peaslee was the best boss I've ever had and a good friend. He hired me to work summers and Christmases at Peaslee Hardware store while I was attending college and graduate school. He taught me how to repair screens and storm windows, thread pipes, and mix paint. He was always generous with his time, talent, wisdom and humor. We have stayed friends through the years and I will miss him.

Mark Romano from River Forest, IL

Posted: April 30th, 2012 10:19 PM

Don was truly a great guy. He was a pleasure to do business with. I enjoyed giving him our business. I've missed him since the day he sold the store; my sincere condolences to his family.

John Beam from Canton, Ohio

Posted: April 27th, 2012 2:38 PM

Mr Peaslee is how addressed the best boss I ever had. He hired me when I was in high school, taught me how to sharpen mowers and most improtantly how to treat people and the customer. I truely enjoyed working at Peaslee hardware and I will always remember the years Mr. Peaslee taught me life's most improtant skills.

James Leonard from Oakbrook Terrace IL

Posted: April 27th, 2012 2:30 PM

Don hired me to work part time back in the early 80's. The extra income was a big help while raising two little ones. My best memory of Don was when a woman came in with a door lock and knob that had a broken internal part. Don looked at the century old mechanism, put his hand to his chin and said; "Give me a minute, I've got that part down in the basement." And he Did! I still shake my head when I think of that.

Paddy Boy

Posted: April 27th, 2012 1:15 PM

Back in the day I had a summer job during my college days working for Dom Meo at the old Community Chest Building on S. Marion. From time to time I was sent up to see Mr. Peaslee to get his advice on one building problem or another. He was always kind and patient - a real nice guy in all respects. See you on the other side mate!

Our though are with the Peaslee family as they celebrate Don's life. Both he and Betty gave so much to our community, and to Parenthesis Family Center. Don will be misssed.

Pat Davis from Oak Park

Posted: April 26th, 2012 11:54 PM

I was privileged to get to know him (and Betty), while a member of 19th Century. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word. When I was webmaster there, he helped me by scanning every one of the photos of past presidents and founders for the website as well as doing other research for it. My sincere condolences to his family.

Cynthia Mungerson from Chicago

Posted: April 26th, 2012 8:00 PM

Don was a true gentleman and loved and respected by all.

Shopper from Here

Posted: April 26th, 2012 7:23 PM

I still call it Peaslee's. Best door knob ever!

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